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<h1><a href="https://archiveofourown.org/works/29118852">Navigation</a> by <a class='authorlink' href='https://archiveofourown.org/users/crimsonhope/pseuds/crimsonhope'>crimsonhope</a></h1>

<table class="full">

<tr><td><b>Category:</b></td><td>Star Wars - All Media Types, Star Wars: The Clone Wars (2008) - All Media Types</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Genre:</b></td><td>Anakin Skywalker Needs a Hug, Awkward Conversations, Conversations, Deception, Emotional Hurt/Comfort, Hurt/Comfort, Obi-Wan Kenobi Needs a Hug, Post-Episode: s04e15 Deception, Protective Ahsoka Tano, Sitcom, Trapped, maybe they'll get one who knows</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Language:</b></td><td>English</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Status:</b></td><td>Completed</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Published:</b></td><td>2021-01-31</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Updated:</b></td><td>2021-02-04</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Packaged:</b></td><td>2021-05-18 11:42:15</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Rating:</b></td><td>Teen And Up Audiences</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Warnings:</b></td><td>No Archive Warnings Apply</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Chapters:</b></td><td>2</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Words:</b></td><td>4,111</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Publisher:</b></td><td>archiveofourown.org</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Story URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/works/29118852</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Author URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/users/crimsonhope/pseuds/crimsonhope</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Summary:</b></td><td><div class="userstuff">
              <p><i>Snips?! Where are you? Why did the door close?</i><br/>It was like the Force <i>itself</i> gave her the idea.<br/><i>It just… closed. I guess you guys must have activated something. I’m outside.</i><br/>Very quietly, Ahsoka opened the power box connected to the door system.<br/><i>Do you see anyone? Or anything?</i><br/>Very carefully, she detached some of the cables, and managed to destroy a button for good measure.<br/><i>Nope. But I think you broke the door system.</i></p><p>[post-deception ‘ahsoka is done with anakin and obi-wan’s bullshit and forces them to talk’ fic, but using a silly sitcom trope]</p>
            </div></td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Relationships:</b></td><td>Anakin Skywalker &amp; Ahsoka Tano, Obi-Wan Kenobi &amp; Ahsoka Tano, Obi-Wan Kenobi &amp; Anakin Skywalker</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Comments:</b></td><td>13</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Kudos:</b></td><td>118</td></tr>

</table>

<a name="section0001"><h2>1. Outside</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Author's Note:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
      <p>if you watch ‘community’, there’s this scene in the episode where troy leaves and they play the floor is lava when britta traps troy and abed in a zorb ball, herself on the top of it, rolling it and screaming “i will force you two to grieve properly!”… and yeah that’s basically how the idea came to me. literally no other particular connections between any characters or plot similarities whatsoever.<br/>it’s not a certified crack fic, but it gives off some vibes, if you know what i mean</p>
    </blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>Figuratively speaking, Ahsoka was <em>suffocating</em>.</p><p>            Although at this point, it felt like the word ‘figuratively’ could easily be replaced by ‘literally’, and it wouldn’t be that far off. Force sensitivity had its perks, but it also had its downsides, one of them being the unfortunate ability to experience the somewhat stronger emotions in a literal, physical way. This included emotions of your own, as well as those of others. Add a Force bond, and it became even more unpleasant.</p><p>            Add two, and it was a headache.</p><p>            More than a headache, Ahsoka decided, trapped between her Master and her Grandmaster as all three of them trekked along the corridor of what was supposed to be an old separatist base, and additionally turned out to be a huge kriffing maze. In any other circumstances, the mission would have been boring, and – probably for the first time in her life – Ahsoka found herself wishing it actually <em>was</em>. Just <em>plain boring</em>, without the not-so-subtle sizzle of hurt and underlying anger currently fueling the bond between Anakin and Obi-wan. Naturally, she was trapped right in the middle of that bond, because they were children and apparently refused to walk directly one after the other.</p><p>            It was either Anakin shooting forwards like he was avoiding a chat with some older Master in the Temple archives, or Obi-wan lagging behind, pretending to examine a wall that was clearly <em>just a</em> <em>wall</em> and not any sort of secret passage that they all would have sensed, anyway, had it actually been there. She was alternating between shouting ‘Master, wait up!’ and asking ‘Master, are you coming?’, and already sick of both. The words <em>and</em> the people.</p><p>            She was suffocating, she was annoyed, but most of all, she just felt <em>wrong</em>. Everything felt wrong. There was an unspoken truth hanging in the air, the worst kind of truth – the one everyone was aware of, but chose to ignore for the sake of some delusional sense of dignity. She did take Anakin’s side when it came to judging the entire deception plot as <em>utter bantha crap</em> and scolding Obi-wan (lightly, in her case) for it, but what happened simply <em>happened</em>, and there was no going back at this point. She couldn’t even tell whether she was holding a grudge anymore, in some way she may have been, still; besides, it didn’t matter if <em>she</em> held a grudge, it mattered if <em>Anakin </em>did.</p><p>            And it wasn’t even a question of <em>if</em>.</p><p>            Again, she didn’t blame him for being hurt, or angry, or feeling betrayed, much like she didn’t blame Obi-wan for doing what he did in the end – he <em>was </em>doing it for a good cause, a noble cause (even though the premise and the execution were pretty shit). The problem was that Anakin refused to move on from his current emotional state, he refused to at least <em>try</em> – which was <em>so</em> ‘Anakin’ in its nature – and it was proving harmful to more than just himself. Being assigned on missions with the 212<sup>th</sup> wasn’t fun anymore, it was <em>torture</em> – Ahsoka couldn’t stand being on the bridge with the two of them, not to mention that happened very rarely on its own, with Anakin preferring to be stuck nose-deep in the engine of his fighter, and Obi-wan keeping to himself literally anywhere but where actual living beings could be found on the cruiser. And speaking of Obi-wan alone, he wasn’t any better. Ahsoka knew he most likely didn’t feel like he even had the <em>right</em> to approach Anakin and ask for forgiveness, but she was convinced he could at least attempt to explain himself, by means of something more than that politically correct excuse he gave back on Naboo.</p><p>            She was currently feeling more and more like the adult in the room – the corridor? the fortress? – around the two of them, which was ridiculous. <em>They were being ridiculous, and she was officially </em>done.</p><p>            “Hey, I think I found the old navigation center!” Anakin stopped abruptly, facing a particularly large door which suddenly appeared on their left. At least they haven’t been going in circles.</p><p>            “We’ve already established this base holds no information that’s still valuable to the Republic, so it’s better we spend our time on strictly figuring out how to get out of here.” Obi-wan commented somewhat tiredly. As was to be expected, Anakin merely threw him a dark glare and did the exact opposite of his wishes, finding the door seal and opening it, stepping in without a second of hesitation.</p><p>            The room was full of machinery – naturally – but it was the first one they found that wasn’t visibly broken. Much like Obi-wan, Ahsoka doubted they would suddenly find anything in here, but Anakin seemed intent on checking every desk pod, likely just to piss Obi-wan off.</p><p>            “Anakin, you’re wasting our time.” Surprisingly, Obi-wan stepped into the room as well, walking up to the very first desk Anakin meddled at. “This entire operation has clearly proven to be a dead end.” As if to underline his point, he pressed a few buttons almost absentmindedly.</p><p>            “Well, unlike you, I don’t give up so easily.” Anakin bit back, still focused on the task, but clearly more and more frustrated with the lack of response from any part of the machinery.</p><p>            “I’m not <em>giving up</em>, I am simply being rational.”</p><p>            “Yes, we all know how you love being <em>rational</em>.” Anakin voice dripped venom.</p><p>            “Must you start this here?”</p><p>            “Start what? <em>I</em> didn’t start anything.”</p><p>            “We should get moving.”</p><p>            “Listen, if you have a plan of your own that you’d like to follow, be my guest. Wouldn’t be the first time.”</p><p>            “Anakin, that comment was <em>entirely</em> unnecessary in this very situation and you know it.” Obi-wan’s voice lowered dangerously.</p><p>            “I don’t think <em>you</em> of all people grasp the concept of unnecessary, Obi-wan.” Anakin actually looked up from the console he was examining, finally facing his former Master.</p><p>            “What is that supposed to mean?”</p><p>            “Don’t pretend with me, Obi-wan. We both know it doesn’t work as flawlessly as you’d like it to.”</p><p>            “<em>As I’d like it to?</em>”</p><p>            “Oh, so that <em>wasn’t</em> part of the plan?”</p><p>            “You’re acting like a child, Anakin!”</p><p>            “No, I’m the only one actually taking it <em>seriously</em>!”</p><p>            “If this is what you call serious behavior, then I …”</p><p>            Ahsoka wanted to <em>scream</em>.</p><p>            Her hand straight up <em>smashed</em> the door button, her mind only half-registering the movement in the very moment. The entry slid shut with a heavy, metallic thud, entirely separating her from the view and sounds of the navigation room. Did she mention she was <em>done</em>? Did she perhaps fail to mention that to Anakin and Obi-wan? Oh, well.</p><p>            The silence was almost relaxing.</p><p>            Closing her eyes, she let out a long, exasperated sigh, basking in the few seconds of peace she’s granted herself, and preparing for a much longer session of panic from the other side of the door. Sure enough, there it was in her head, her Master’s voice desperately breaking through her shields. She frowned at how much of his presence was still occupied by the emotion having to do with his and Obi-wan’s exchange, instead of the situation they’ve found themselves in.</p><p>            <em>Snips?! Where are you? Why did the door close?</em></p><p>            It was like the Force <em>itself </em>gave her the idea.</p><p>
  <em>            It just… closed. I guess you guys must have activated something. I’m outside.</em>
</p><p>Very quietly, Ahsoka opened the power box connected to the door system.</p><p>
  <em>            Do you see anyone? Or anything?</em>
</p><p>Very carefully, she detached some of the cables, and managed to destroy a button for good measure.</p><p>            <em>Nope. But I think you broke the door system.</em></p><p>
  <em>            What?</em>
</p><p>
  <em>            I’m pressing it, but it’s not working, and the power box is completely destroyed.</em>
</p><p>This one time, Anakin being distracted by his fight with Obi-wan actually worked in her favor, and her skills in concealing a lie in the Force worked just strong enough to fool him, somehow.</p><p>            <em>Uh, great. The door on this side only reacted to movement, but none of the crap inside is actually functional, so we’ll have to get out the old fashioned way.</em></p><p><em>            Don’t</em>, came Obi-wan’s voice from the other side of her mind, and she assumed the same has been said inside. <em>We shouldn’t leave traces like that. Abandoned or not, we </em>did <em>receive intel that someone was recently spotted here. We can’t risk anything. </em></p><p>Anakin’s annoyance flared in her mind, <em>Then what, we’re supposed to just stay trapped in here? That’s ridic…</em></p><p>            Oh no, not this again, she was <em>not</em> doing this again.</p><p>            <em>Master! Let me find a way out of here and call Rex, then we’ll just come get you out with proper equipment.</em></p><p><em>            Are you sure, Snips? </em>And there it was, that dread, that <em>fear</em> of being stuck alone with Obi-wan with nowhere to run off to, which is the exact emotion that she wanted him to feel, that she wanted them <em>both</em> to feel respectively.</p><p>            <em>I’m sure. I’ll be as quick as I can. </em>Negative.</p><p>            She would force these two to talk things out properly, even if it costs them the entire mission.</p>
  </div></div>
<a name="section0002"><h2>2. Inside</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Summary for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
            <p>“By all means, you can blame me for this one as well.” Came a worn out voice from somewhere on the other side of the room.</p>
<p>Anakin was about to agree, an equally passive-aggressive statement was already there on the tip of his tongue, but then he realized that there was no actual passive-aggressiveness to match.</p>
          </blockquote><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff"><p>this part is pure chaos</p>
<p>me, going into this chapter: ‘i don’t have the plot yet but i want anakin to cry’</p>
<p>petite remarque: there are no lights in the navigation room</p>
<p>also, obi-wan screams a lot (well for him it’s a lot)</p></blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>Anakin couldn’t see anything.</p>
<p>            Granted, he could <em>feel </em>a lot of things – his own frustration, Obi-wan’s frustration, Ahsoka’s somewhat distant frustration as she walked away from the navigation center in search of a way out – but just feeling things wasn’t very helpful in that very moment, it never was, actually. In Anakin’s case, feeling things usually meant feeling <em>too many</em> things, and that happened to be the last of what he currently needed.</p>
<p>            What he needed was a way out of this forsaken room, and the fact that it had been his idea to enter it in the first place didn’t help in terms of decreasing his irritation. He was about to spend Force knows how long in a stuffy, pitch black box with dubious oxygen supply, with no one else to blame but himself…</p>
<p>            Actually, no, scratch that. Scratch all of it. This was kriffing Obi-wan’s fault once again, wasn’t it?</p>
<p>            <em>No, not really, and you know that very well</em>, the Force sing-sang to him almost mockingly, but Anakin preferred to favor the thoughts that came from his own brain, while simultaneously tuning out the ones supplied by common sense. Sure, he may have walked into the room first, but it was Obi-wan who started judging his approach and his ideas again, who started fiddling with the controls for no reason, even though Anakin had already checked them, and it was probably Obi-wan’s fiddling that activated the door…</p>
<p>            “By all means, you can blame me for this one as well.” Came a worn out voice from somewhere on the other side of the room.</p>
<p>            Anakin was about to agree, an equally passive-aggressive statement was already there on the tip of his tongue, but then he realized that there was no actual passive-aggressiveness to match.</p>
<p>            He heard Obi-wan positioning himself cross-legged on the floor, as if giving up any further attempts at talking. Not that Anakin wanted to talk, but he was very much ready to argue, and Obi-wan had been exhibiting the same eagerness, so the change in tone was a bit confusing.</p>
<p>            Anakin, however, was not one for restraining himself.</p>
<p>            “At least this time you didn’t do it on purpose.”</p>
<p>            He felt a slight wave of hurt escape and flow over from Obi-wan’s side of the bond. Ever since <em>that</em> day, Anakin has had to get used to having little access to Obi-wan’s feelings, which he naturally interpreted as yet another way for his former Master to keep him at a distance and signal his distrust. Anakin himself was a different story – he never wanted Obi-wan to know <em>everything</em>, but made sure to make all of his sentiments regarding the recent deception accessible to him. Lest he thinks Anakin will just <em>forget</em>. This, right now, was the first actual response he’s gotten in ages, and wasn’t it precisely what he hoped Obi-wan would feel after hearing his words? Then why did it feel so strangely… overpowering, all of a sudden?</p>
<p>            He sat down as well, because there was no point in standing when one had nowhere to go, anyway. His instincts were begging him to speak up and break the uncomfortable silence – had Ahsoka been stuck with him, they would have no doubt been bantering by now – but he had to get stuck with Obi-wan, of all people, and even his own playful character wasn’t enough to convince him to break through <em>that</em> barrier. On second thought, it was a wonderful opportunity for Anakin to practice his patience, which he’s always lacked according to many. Especially one.</p>
<p>            How ironic.</p>
<p>            “Oh, for Force’s sake, this is ridiculous.” The worn out voice spoke again, and Anakin was startled by the sound of a lightsaber being ignited in the corner of the room. He could once again see Obi-wan’s grim face, this time in various shades of blue. He wasn’t sure how much of himself was visible to Obi-wan, though, seeing as he has taken a spot quite far away from him. It may or may not have become a petty habit, the immaturity of which Anakin was very much aware of, but which was unwilling to break.</p>
<p>            “So is sitting with an ignited lightsaber in a pitch black room.” He commented, maybe a tad – just a tad – less viciously in comparison to all his previous comments.</p>
<p>            “Would you rather us sit here like two deactivated protocol droids in a storage unit?” It always made Anakin uncomfortable to hear Obi-wan speak sarcastically without any trace of actual humor. “Since we’re not talking to each other we may at least have a bit of light.”</p>
<p>            “We <em>are</em> talking to each other, were just not talking <em>right now</em>. I didn’t think you care that much about what I have to say that you’re up for small talk.”</p>
<p>            “Stop that, Anakin.” What appeared to be a scold sounded rather weak coming from Obi-wan’s mouth right now. “You know, you really don’t need to keep reminding <em>me</em> of everything that happened.” He added quietly.</p>
<p>            “And there it is!” Anakin felt himself lashing out at last. “Let’s just forget that it happened, let’s just forget that you <em>died</em>! A mission like any other, right?!”</p>
<p>            “A mission that is now <em>over</em> and none of us can change anything about it!” Obi-wan almost shouted, startling both Anakin and, visibly, himself. The peaceful blue hitting his face contrasted unpleasantly with his pained expression. Anakin blinked, before tuning his head away. His fist clenched involuntarily. <em>You could have not agreed to it in the first place.</em></p>
<p>“Do you seriously think I just ‘agreed’ to it? Just like that?”</p>
<p>            Anakin wasn’t afraid to admit to himself that he struggled with keeping his shields up when he got overpowered by emotion, so he wasn’t surprised that Obi-wan intercepted his thought, so much as shocked that he’s actually received a reply. Obi-wan stopped doing that a long time ago, even before Anakin had become a knight – it was truly the one thing in his Padawan he couldn’t change, and so the least he could do was not engage in it. Pretend like he couldn’t tell exactly what Anakin was thinking in those moments. And Anakin <em>knew</em> that he knew, and that was the dynamic they existed in. For the first time, Anakin wondered if it really had been a good idea.</p>
<p>            He lifted his head to look Obi-wan in the eyes properly for the first time in weeks, because he was suddenly curious as to what he may actually find there. It wasn’t everyday that his Master was on a brink of being honest about his feelings – at least that’s how Anakin saw it in that very moment, judging by his words. And he didn’t find himself apprehensive anymore, he found himself <em>craving</em> answers.</p>
<p>            Not the Council’s answers, or any <em>bantha crap</em> about serving the Republic, or making (unnecessarily) noble sacrifices. He wanted Obi-wan’s answers. Obi-wan’s answers <em>alone</em>. Even if he may have been too proud to ask for them directly up until now.</p>
<p>            “How did they tell you?” He asked finally.</p>
<p>            “We all came up with the general idea… gradually. The longer we discussed it, the more apparent it became that someone had to die, instead of just disappearing. And that someone had to be… known. Recognizable at least.” Obi-wan was staring down at his shoes, as if he didn’t like the idea of being considered as ‘known’ beyond the scope of the Jedi Order.</p>
<p>            “So?” Anakin challenged his argument. “You’re no the only Jedi the public recognizes. What about Windu?” Anakin couldn’t help but come to the conclusion that Master Windu probably thought himself above such deep undercover assignments.</p>
<p>            “Master Windu is respected, but he has no… particular connections to anyone.”                   </p>
<p>Anakin blinked.</p>
<p>            “Exactly! He would have been the ideal person for the job! A guarantee that no one would try to desperately avenge him and mess up his cover,” Anakin knew he was simultaneously admitting to his own failures by saying that, but the confession seemed worth it. “No one would have thought twice about it, the Master of the Order had been assassinated, you would have obviously had to catch the culprit all the same, throw him in jail, and that would…”</p>
<p>            “Not ‘all the same’, Anakin!” Obi-wan cut him off. “Master of the Order getting assassinated would have already been <em>too</em> suspicious. And in my case… having people who were close to me… their reactions…”</p>
<p>            “Yeah, ‘cause you thought <em>hurting everyone around you</em> was the best way to sell the story?!”</p>
<p>            “<em>OF COURSE I DIDN’T!"</em></p>
<p>            In a matter of seconds, Anakin was back to being a little Padawan who disobeyed his Master’s orders and was getting angrily reprimanded. He was almost ready for Obi-wan’s next words to be somewhere along the lines of ‘too reckless’, ‘stubborn’, ‘irresponsible’, and then a variation of ‘grounded’.</p>
<p>            And yet, he wasn’t a little boy anymore, and he could say much more out loud than he was capable of back then.</p>
<p>            “Then why did you do it?” He asked, and his voice came out much quieter than he intended.</p>
<p>            “Because I had a duty to the Order…”</p>
<p>            “And that’s all that matters to you?!”</p>
<p>            “It <em>has </em>to matter to me, otherwise…”</p>
<p>            “No! That’s not all that matters to you, Obi-wan! You <em>know</em> you care about other people, even more than about yourself! You care about the men we lose, you care about every single soul in the Order!... You care about <em>me</em>. About Ahsoka.” <em>You care about Satine. Cared about Qui-gon</em>. Anakin wasn’t quite brave enough to say those last two names out loud. “And, believe it or not, we care back. So forgive me for thinking you are the last person who should have taken that mission.”</p>
<p>            “That was not <em>your</em> choice, Anakin.” Obi-wan said angrily. “It was <em>my</em> choice.”</p>
<p>            “Not when it affects so many people around you!”</p>
<p>            “<em>You think I didn’t beg them to tell you?! You think that it was easy for me to leave you? All of you?! You think </em>I <em>don’t wish it didn’t happen too, </em>every single day<em>?</em>”</p>
<p>            The light disappeared, Obi-wan deactivating his lightsaber abruptly. Whether out of frustration or as a way to signal the end of the discussion, Anakin didn’t know, but for a moment, it felt good to sit in complete darkness again. He wasn’t sure he was ready for Obi-wan to see his face right now. Or for himself to look at Obi-wan’s, for that matter.</p>
<p>            He already had to grieve Obi-wan’s death once, only to be forced to grieve him again, after he had essentially <em>come back to life</em> – grieve him, because Anakin knew nothing would ever be the same between them. At least that’s how it felt. Despite being aware of the natural process that was death, losing Obi-wan has always been something Anakin was afraid of – especially in a way that was <em>not </em>natural, and therefore could have been prevented. Because if it hadn’t been, then it meant that somewhere, along the way, someone failed to protect his Master – and who else was more obligated to protect his Master than Anakin himself. And being kept in the dark on top of it meant he had even less control than he thought. How was he to protect Obi-wan, if Obi-wan didn’t even trust Anakin enough to let himself be protected by him. To let Anakin in on the secret. And although Anakin didn’t… <em>not</em> know that Obi-wan was struggling, too - he could definitely <em>see</em> it – the part of him that has been feeling so angry, betrayed, abandoned discouraged him from reacting to it, mostly out of spite.</p>
<p>            “Anakin?”</p>
<p>            In the darkness, Anakin didn’t really know how to let Obi-wan know he was listening – because he was, in the end, he was always listening, underneath all the layers of hurt and stubbornness, he was listening.</p>
<p>He gave him the slightest nudge in the Force.</p>
<p>            “I know I have no right to try and convince you of this… especially now… but I do trust you, Anakin. And because of that I will regret hiding the mission from you for the rest of my life. But I don’t want to spend it the way it is now.” Obi-wan was staring at him through the darkness, and Anakin could feel it. The darkness made everything easier, somehow. They saw nothing, and yet, they somehow felt everything. “I don’t want us to stay like this forever, because one day, one of us will<em> actually</em> be gone…”</p>
<p>            “I thought you <em>were</em> actually gone, Obi-wan. I will never be able to forget that, how it feels to… to lose a Master.” For all the resentment he was trying to make his voice exude, Anakin just felt himself choking up.</p>
<p>            “Neither will I.”</p>
<p>            The darkness proved useful once more, concealing the tears which were now falling down Anakin’s face freely, much like they were a few days after Obi-wan’s funeral, when his anger finally gave into proper grief as he realized that with Rako Hardeen in prison, there was <em>nothing</em> more left to do – the reality was <em>real</em>, and it was terrifying without Obi-wan there.</p>
<p>            Now, at least, even though the nightmare wasn’t quite over, Obi-wan was here again.</p>
<p>            Anakin heard his former Master shuffle towards him blindly, mostly letting the Force guide him, as well as the emotion rolling off of Anakin, if his tendency to project was any indication. It was awkward with them both on the floor, but Anakin gladly let himself be wrapped in Obi-wan’s arms, despite being much larger, and a fully-grown adult at that. Just this once, in a pitch black room, he allowed himself to pretend he was neither of those things.</p>
<p>            “It’s not your fault you can’t take things back, Obi-wan. No one can.” He mumbled into his shoulder.</p>
<p>            “But it <em>is </em>my fault for allowing things to happen the way they did.” Obi-wan’s hand squeezed around one of Anakin’s forearms. “And I never want to make that mistake again.”</p>
<p>            Instead of replying verbally, Anakin tried igniting their bond once again.</p>
<p>It sprang to life, fragile, but hopeful.</p>
<p>***</p>
<p>            The wait wasn’t too long after that.</p>
<p>            “I’d like to say I was surprised by what happened, sirs, but I think I’ve just gotten used to it.” Rex greeted them with what Anakin knew was a smirk under his helmet.</p>
<p>            “Yeah, we… might have triggered some of the controls inside.” Anakin scratched the back of his neck. Behind Rex, Ahsoka huffed with exasperation.</p>
<p>            “Nah, sir, the wires here were just completely messed up.” Rex explained, looking up form the electricity box in the wall. “It must have been a manual job. Maybe whoever’s been here before us left it as a trap…”</p>
<p>            Anakin and Obi-wan stared at each other blankly, then simultaneously turned their gazes towards Ahsoka. The poker face she was giving them could be considered impressive, yet her entire presence very much exuded what Anakin would call ‘Obi-wan-like arrogance’, and what Obi-wan would label as ‘trademark Anakin smugness’. She raised one of her eye markings at them, ever so subtly.</p>
<p>            Obi-wan cleared his throat, and Anakin suddenly noticed a fascinating pattern somewhere on the plain ceiling.</p>
<p>            “It’s good that you were nearby, Rex.” His Padawan commented rather loudly. “It must have been really boring being stuck in one place like that, huh, Masters?”</p>
<p>            Anakin’s first instinct was to tell her off for the tone of that question, but the words died in his mouth as soon as she threw him a provoking glance. He narrowed his eyes at her. She narrowed hers back.</p>
<p>            In the Force, they heard Obi-wan laughing for the first time in weeks.</p>
  </div><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_foot_notes"><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
          <p>this fic got better treatment than my BA thesis, in that it actually got written today</p>
<p>also in terms of that ‘obi-wan arrogance’ that ahsoka has, i find it so funny that characters in the star wars universe only see anakin’s influence in ahsoka, cause he’s like the most chaotic person she knows so all of it must be him, and then there’s maul who literally hears ahsoka speak for like five minutes and is immediately like “that’s fuckin’ obi-wan kenobi” (yes that is a reference within a reference)</p>
<p>anyways, thanks for reading, i need to practice the anakin &amp; obi-wan dynamic ‘cause boy did i struggle here</p>
        </blockquote><b>Author's Note:</b><blockquote class="userstuff"><p>there will be a part two, i just have to make it well angsty, y’know?<br/>what in the world is a navigation room you ask? i have no idea</p><p>feel free to roast any mistakes as i was not born with english on my tongue</p></blockquote></div></div>
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